Disposable drain strainer



June 9, 1942. l. R. PLATT v 2,285,;333

.DISPOSABLE DRAIN SVTRAHIJER Filed Jan. 2'7, 1933 INVENTOR IsabelleRPJatt.

BY I

- ATTORNEY Patented June 9, 1942 UNITED 'sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

Isabelle R. Platt, Watervllle, Conn.

Application January 27, 1938, Serial No, 187,192

1 Claim.

This invention relates to drain strainers, and more particularly to a disposable waste strainer cu of fiexible material adapted to be removably fitted in the top of the outlet pipe of a wash bowl, bath-tub, shampoo sink, lavatory or similar liquid receptacle.

Most of the detachable waste strainers now in general use must be frequently cleaned to remove particles of collected waste material, such as hair, lint, food scraps, cigarettes, cigar butts, etc. The operation of cleaning such strainers is disagreeable and also injures the plated or polished finish on the strainer by scratching and repeated scourings. By means of the present invention, the above and other disadvantages have been avoided.

one object of this invention is to provide a waste strainer of the above nature made of paper or other flexible material which may be readily removed from the waste fitting and be thrown away together with the waste material collected therein with a minimum of manual handling.

Another object is to provide a waste strainer cup of the above nature having a projectinghandle 'to permit it to be more easily removed from the drain pipe inlet.

A still further object is to provide av waste strainer of the above nature which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easily folded at the top to enclose the waste material, readily manipulated, compact, and very efilcient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view, there have been illustrated on the accompanying drawing several forms in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a vertical cross-section of a typical waste fitting, in which a paper strainer embodying the present invention has been installed, and also showing the sink plug in operating position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same with the sink plug removed.

represents the bottom wall of a receptacle, such as a sink, having a waste opening II through which waste water and the like may be drained therefrom. A typical form of metal waste drain fitting I2 'is shown, which is generally cupshaped in cross-section, and has an annular top flange I3 adapted to seat in a shallow annular depression I4 formed in the bottom wall I0 about the opening II therein. The cup-shaped lower portion I5 of the fitting I2 extends through the opening II, and is threaded on its exterior, whereby a nut I6 may be screwed thereon to clamp the receptacle I0 tightly between a leather packing washer I1 and the flange I3 of the fitting I2. The flared end I8 of a drain pipe I9, leading to the usual trap (not shown) may be clamped within the lower vend of the fitting I2 by a clamp nut 20, in the usual manner. Herein, the fitting I2 is shown provided with the usual cross-bars or spider 2 I, which serves as a strainer to prevent large particles of waste material from entering the drain pipe I9.

Between the fiange I3 and the cup-shaped bottom portion I5, the drain fitting I2 is provided with the usual annular shoulder 22, which serves 'as a seat to receive a perforated fiat metallic strainer disc (not shown) usually provided with this form of fitting for stopping and collecting small particles of waste matter, but not employed in the present invention.

In the use of the old type of metallic strainer I cups, it has been found that they must be frequently removed to clean the collected waste matter therefrom. Some of the waste matter often becomes entangled in the openings of the metal strainer cup in such a manner that it is difficult to remove it unless pins or other tools, likely to scratch the metal finish, are employed.

In the two first forms of the present invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a perforated cup-shaped member 23 is disclosed, which is preferably made of non-metallic soft flexible material, such as paper, which may be readily crushed, collapsed, or folded together over the top of the collected Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modified form waste material and then thrown away therewith of waste strainer cup provided with a tab to facilitate its removal from the sink outlet.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-section 01 a shallow type of drain inlet having a modified rela tively fiat waste strainer fitted therein.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the strainer shown in Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like parts in place thereof. It will also be understood that the material may either be used plain or colored, or treated with deodorants, perfumes, or disinfectants if so desired. 7

throughout the several views, the numeral I0 The cup 23 is perforated with holes 24 in its to bottom so as to avoid contact with the inner surface of the cup-shaped portion I! of the fitting i2. The cup 23 is also provided with an outwardly extending annular flange 21 at its upper open edge, which flange is adapted to seat upon the lower wall 28 of the shoulder 22. Preferably, the material from which the cup 22 is formed will be somewhat compressible and present a non-slippery surface so that the cup 23 may be readily lifted upwardly out of the cupshaped portion l by means of the fingers of the user.

IrfFlg. l a stop plug 281s shown fitted within the paper cup 23, said plug being adapted to expand the paper into the fitting l2 to permit the filling of the receptacle whenever desired.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig, 3, a disposable cup 30 is disclosed having the usual perforations 3i and an annular outer flange 32' for seating upon the shoulder of a waste fitting l2, as in the first form shown in Figs. 1 and 2. To facilitate the removal of the strainer cup from the drain, provision is made of a tab 33, struck up from the material oi the cup 30 adjacent its upper edge and turned inwardly and upwardly to extend beyond the same. A plurality of such tabs may be provided if desired.

In order to adapt the features and principles of this invention to the relatively shallow forms of waste drains usually associated with bath tubs and like receptaclesone such drain being shown in Figs. 4 and 5-another modified form of disposable strainer may be employed. This consists of a relatively flat paper disc 34 having a downwardly convex center portion 35 adapted to snugly fit and seat at its edge upon an annular flange 36 of a waste fitting 31, and being supported at its center by the metallic waste strainer 38, usually provided in such types of fittings, and which is removably secured thereto by a screw 39. The paper strainer 34 is perforated by holes 40 in its downwardly bowed portion 35 to allow waste water to flow therethrough and to pass through openings II in the metallic strainer 38 and thence to any suitable drain outlet, such as a trap (not shown). The waste fitting 31 is assumes clamped to the receptacle, shown in section at 42, by a clamp nut 43 and a leather washer 44 in a manner similar to the fitting shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Operation When it is desired to replace any of the drain strainers herein disclosed with a fresh one, the one in use may readily be removed by the use of. the forefinger of one hand, or in the form shown in Fig. 3, by grasping the tap 33. The strainer and its contents may then be thrown away or burned, the material of the container being combustible.

The use of the present invention will be particularly helpful in barber shops, beauty parlors, lavatories, and in hospitals, and will assist in preventing possible transmission of diseases. Due to the tapered form, a plurality of strainer cups may be assembled together by nesting them one within the other, thus insuring ready handling and storing of the same in quantity.

While there have been disclosed in this specifl-' cation several forms in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosures but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the-invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claim.

Having thus fully described the invention, 2

what is claimed as new, and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

A strainer for a waste drain fitting comprising a tapered cup-shaped member smaller at the bottom than at the top and made of foldable paper-like material adapted to absorb and retain perfume or disinfectant, said member being perforated to permit fluid to pass therethrough but to collect waste solid material, said member,

having a tab struck up from the body thereof and extending upwardly from its upper open edge said waste drain.

ISABELLE R. PLA'I'I. 

